FA Cup Semi-Final

Sunday, April 13, 2003 at Villa Park

RESULT:

WATFORD (0) 1 - Gayle 86.

SOUTHAMPTON (1) 2 - Ormerod 42, Robinson og 78.

TEAMS:

WATFORD: Chamberlain; Mahon, Cox, Gayle, Robinson; Ardley, Vernazza, Hyde, Glass; Chopra, Helguson. Substitutes: Nielsen for Vernazza after 55 mins; Smith for Chopra after 69 mins; Cook for Glass after 76 mins; Dyche and Lee not used.

SOUTHAMPTON: Jones; Telfer, Lundekvam, M. Svensson, Bridge; Fernandes, Oakley, A. Svensson, Marsden; Beattie, Ormerod. Substitutes: Delap for A. Svensson after 77 mins; Tessem for Ormerod after 90 mins; Davies, Higginbotham and Blayney not used.

WATFORD'S MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Heidar Helguson. A remarkably energetic but also effective performance after the player had been out of action for much of the build-up to the game. Marcus Gayle and Neal Ardley (second-half) also caught the eye.

CONDITIONS: Warmish with cold wind and increasingly overcast. The surface was a little uneven but generally sound for the time of year, given the wear.

ATTENDANCE: 42,602. (Minor disorder beforehand with one or two arrests).

REFEREE: Mike Riley (Leeds). A fair game for him and his two yellow-flagged sidekicks (neither of whom sported the Battenberg flag). A three-one bookings ratio was perhaps a little over the top but one can understand, to a degree, how he failed to spot Southampton's second goal was the result of a foul. Only repeated that not only did James Beattie not make contact, he actually pushed both players over from behind, causing Paul Robinson to stumble into the ball.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: The better of the two Semi-Finals and fair entertainment for a nervy affair.

CRINGE-MAKING MOMENT: The slipping into the old Vialli back-passing shuffle which led to the second goal.

HIGHLIGHT MOMENT: The moment when Marcus Gayle produced hope with his header of the Chopra-Ardley-Hyde move which should have resulted in the working of the keeper at least.

CLEAR-CUT CHANCES: Watford 2 (Helguson 1, Hyde 1), Southampton 3 (Beattie 1, Ormerod 1, M. Svensson 1).

ASSISTS: Ardley.

WATFORD GOAL ATTEMPTS BY: Glass 3, Helguson 2, Mahon 1, Chopra 1, Hyde 1, Gayle 1, Robinson 1.

GOAL ATTEMPTS (ON-TARGET): Watford 4, Southampton 5.

GOAL ATTEMPTS (OFF-TARGET): Watford 6, Southampton 8.

CORNERS: Watford 5, Southampton 4.

FOULS COMMITTED: Watford 19, Southampton 9.

TIMES OFF-SIDE: Watford 1, Southampton 4.

BOOKINGS: Cox for a foul on Bridge (30); Robinson for a foul on Fernandes (55); Helguson for a foul on Marsden (69); Fernandes for a foul on Robinson (71).

April 28, 2003 14:00